1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processor, more particularly to an image processor that can easily check a function setting situation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nowadays, what is called a multifunction peripheral (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an MFP) including various functions such as a copier, a scanner, a facsimile machine, a network printer, and a document server is in widespread use.
Such an image processor as the MFP can perform many functions. At the same time, there is a limitation to a screen size of an operation panel of the image processor. It is impossible that all characters and graphics expressing functions and setting items, which can be performed by the image processor, are displayed at once on the screen of the operation panel with the size that can be visually recognized by a user. When the user displays a desired function on the screen of the operation panel, frequently an operation method becomes complicated. Therefore, recently a mapscroller function is proposed in the image processor.
In the mapscroller function, a mapscroller screen in which function keys (a function content is encoded and expressed by a simple picture) are arrayed is displayed on a display unit of the image processor, the function keys can be selected by scrolling the mapscroller screen, and the setting of the function related to image processing is received through the function key. The mapscroller screen includes a function key display region and an icon display region. The plurality of function keys are horizontally arrayed in the function key display region while being scrollable. In the icon display region, icons (dot marks) indicating whether the setting is performed through the function key displayed in the function key display region are horizontally arrayed in the order identical to the function keys displayed in the function key display region.
The user can get an overview of how many function keys are included in the image processor using the plurality of icons displayed in the icon display region. Additionally, the user can touch the icon (or perform an operation to scroll the function key display region) to scroll the function key display region, and display the function key related to the touch icon. As a result, the user can sequentially set the plurality of functions without switching the operation screen.
In the case the user sets many functions on the mapscroller screen, sometimes the user hardly recognizes the functions in which the setting is already performed or the functions in which the setting is not performed yet. In the case that the user set such the function that has an influence on another function, the MFP automatically sets another function (for example, in the case that the user sets the function of “pamphlet”, the MFP automatically sets three functions of “scaling factor setting”, “double-sided/page grouping”, and “finish”). Therefore, sometimes the user does not recognize that other functions are automatically set. In the case that the setting performed through the function key has the complicated content (for example, in the case that an angle of the character displayed in copy protect can be set by a numerical value through the function key of “copy protect”), sometimes the user hardly understands the specific content of the setting. Accordingly, in the image processor, there is a demand to display a list of already-set functions or not-set functions.
For example, Documents 1 to 3 disclose a technology for displaying a list of the functions of the image processor.
Document 1 discloses a technology, in which a setting check button is displayed on various operation screens through which an input operation is received from the outside and a setting check screen on which setting contents are recited is displayed when the setting check button is pressed.
Document 2 discloses a technology in which a window including a list display region where the plurality of function keys (called an “icons” in Document 2) are displayed and a already-set display region where the assigned function key is displayed is displayed on the screen of the display device.
Document 3 discloses a technology, in which a function badge line in which plural function keys (called a “function badge” in Document 3) selecting the functions is displayed on the display unit while partially scrolled in accordance with the position of the window moving on a scroll track. In the technology, the scroll track is divided into a restricted function region and a non-restricted function region. The function badge in which a usage right is provided only to a specific user is displayed on the display unit in the case that the window is located in the restricted function region, the function badge except that of the restricted function is displayed on the display unit in the case that the window is located in the non-restricted function region.    [Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication Laying-Open No. 2006-43896    [Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication Laying-Open No. 2006-323504    [Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication Laying-Open No. 2012-68934
In the technology disclosed in Document 1, the setting check button is displayed on not the mapscroller screen but the usual setting screen. Therefore, in order to display the list of the setting contents received from the user, it is necessary to close the mapscroller screen to display the operation screen including the setting check button. As a result, unfortunately it takes a lot of trouble with checking the setting contents.
In the technology disclosed in Document 2, in the case that many functions are set, unfortunately all the function keys related to the set functions are hardly displayed in the already-set display region.
In the technology disclosed in Document 3, although the functions can be checked by the list, the function keys of the already-set functions (or the function keys of the not-set functions) cannot be listed.